Lost in Glee
by quietresilience09
Summary: On the way to Nationals, New Directions crashes on a mysterious island. SamxQuinn, PuckxRachel, WillxEmma
1. Day One

**Day One**

Will woke with a start.

Breathing heavily, he stared at blue skies and bamboo leaves. Pushing against the dirt beneath him, he sat upright, roughly running a hand over his face.

What the hell happened? Shaking his head, he tried to piece together the flight. He remembered the airport, the kids geeked for nationals—his students. He had to find his glee club.

Slowly, he stood, glancing around for any clues to his whereabouts. Hearing noises ahead, he hurried haphazardly through the grove.

The grove gave way to a pristine beach of white sand and rolling blue waves. Will stood stock still, shocked at the picturesque postcard scene. Walking towards the water, he glanced to his left and his heart stopped at the sight.

The mid-section of their plane lay wrecked and smoking in the sand, students and teachers alike moving around the debris in shock and confusion. Jogging to the scene, Will noted the students he could see. Finn took small dazed steps towards a still-running jet engine. Mike ran in the opposite direction, calling Tina's name. Santana stood screaming hysterically in the midst of the chaos.

Sue spotted Will jogging towards the crash site. Shouting his name, she waved him over to where she stood with Sam. One of the plane's wheels landed on Wes, a Warbler that attended the trip with New Directions. With Will's help, they were able to pull him out, and Sue quickly tied a tourniquet above where his leg was crushed.

Will assessed the chaos, attempting to prioritize the needs of his students. Grabbing Sam's arm, he motioned towards the engine, telling him to keep everyone away from it. Sam nodded, jogging over to Finn.

Brittany stood a few feet further, crying out for help. Will ran over to her and asked if she had any injuries. She quickly shook her head, clutching onto his shirt in terror.

Will glanced up to find Sam moving Finn away from the plane. Behind them, a confused passenger crossed the path of the engine. She was instantly sucked up into the blades, causing a violent explosion.

Will shielded Brittany, feeling the heat and noise on his back. Shell shocked by the panic and chaos surrounding him, Will sat still, momentarily frozen to the spot. Brittany's whimper startled him from his thoughts and putting his arm around her, he led her down the beach to where Sam, Finn, and Wes now stood together.

Telling everyone else to stay put, Will pointed towards Santana, shouting over the din at Sam, the only member of their group so far that was willing and able to help. Sam took off for Santana as Will spotted Sue leading a stunned Mercedes towards their group.

"Is she alright?"

Sue nodded, shouting back, "We need to get these kids away from the crash! This place is a powder keg just waiting to explode!"

Will nodded, pointing Sue toward the right. Taking a deep breath, Will headed in the opposite direction, anxious about what he would find.

He crossed paths with Sam and Santana. She was still sobbing, clutching Sam's shoulders, as he led her away from the plane.

Will stopped them, shouting, "Stay with the group! Coach Sylvester and I are going to find the others, keep everyone else away from the crash!" Sam nodded, continuing towards Finn and Mercedes.

Walking several feet further, Will passed the cabin to find Quinn, Kurt and Rachel huddled together, the plane's wing groaning ominously above their heads. Sprinting towards them, he screamed, throwing his hands wildly in the air to attract their attention.

Quinn glanced to her right and seeing Mr. Schuester, she eagerly grabbed Kurt's arm and Rachel's hand, pulling them hurriedly towards their teacher. Just as they reached him, they all jumped at the deafening sound of the metal collapsing onto the ground behind them. Rachel's face turned an unnatural shade of white and Kurt's eyes grew round as saucers as they all stared at the twisted ruble.

Taking Quinn's shoulders in his hands, Will spoke quickly, "Quinn, I need you to listen! We need to get everyone away from the plane! Finn, Sam, and Mercedes are waiting on the other side of the cabin. Can you take Rachel and Kurt there?"

Quinn's eyes kept darting away from him, but finally she swallowed roughly, lifting her head determinedly. She nodded at Mr. Schuester, grabbing Rachel's hand and pushing Kurt's shoulders in the direction Will asked.

Watching his students leave, Will took in a deep breath, running a hand through his curly hair. The nightmare seemed to only escalate with each step and he dreaded what he would find as he continued forward. Glancing to his left, he felt the breath fall from his lungs at the sight of Emma. She walked carefully around the debris; her arm around Becky, Sue's cheerleading assistant. Blaine followed them closely.

Will ran to them, a smile gracing his face for the first time since the crash, "Thank God, you're ok!"

Emma nodded, her eyes impossibly large, the fear radiating off of her. Taking her shaking hand in his own, he nodded to Blaine, before leading them away from the wreckage.

Will was relieved to find not only Quinn, Kurt, and Rachel with the group, but also Tina and Mike. Susan jogged over to them as they approached, explaining she found the couple and choose to stay with the kids after bringing them back.

Will nodded, "Sue went looking for more kids on the other side of the plane."

Susan shifted, blocking Will's face from the students. Speaking softly, she explained, "A lot of the kids are asking about Artie."

"I know, I know," turning back towards the crash, Will tried to formulate a plan for the next step in their search.

He felt the group fall silent behind him. Puck walked beside Artie down the beach. Artie took long strides, his feet in the sand, a smile on his face, all without crutches or any assistance from Noah.

Brittany sprinted to the boys, knocking Artie over in her excitement. Quinn, Tina, and Santana followed quickly behind. Artie rolled in the waves with the girls, laughter and tears streaming down all their faces.

Sue followed the reunion with David, another Warbler, in tow. Making their way to Will, she stood with him, watching Sam, Finn and Mike talk excitedly with Artie.

"He was like that when I found him. I don't know what you call that."

"A miracle, Sue."

* * *

Hours later, their little group of castaways sat huddled around the fire Sue spent the afternoon directing the kids to build. The cabin lay a hundred yards away, the smell of burnt metal and plastic still filling the air.

Will sat heavily in the sand next to Sue. Becky laid next to her, covered in a standard issue airplane blanket and pillow. While Sue and the girls made the fire, Will lead the boys back in what was left of the cabin, gathering any supplies that were salvageable.

"So what's next, Sue?"

"Honestly, I don't know, William. I thought we'd be rescued by now."

Will nodded, looking around their small group, scared and exhausted, but leaning on each other for support.

"We'll get through it together."

Sue glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Let's hope we don't have to resort to that."

Quinn shivered, trying to keep up with Mercedes and Kurt's conversation. She was so exhausted and terrified it was hard to feel connected to anyone. She and Mercedes prayed earlier, but as it wore on into the night, she was feeling more and more alone.

She flinched as she felt something drape over her shoulders.

Looking up, she was met with Sam's crooked grin, "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

Quinn licked her lips, scoffing. Leaning down, he settled into the sand next to her.

Recently, the two finally found a comfortable rhythm after all their drama earlier in the year. Sam and Santana were over weeks ago, as were she and Finn. They never talked about the past or their other attempts at relationships, but when Mr. Schue selected them to duet again at Nationals, there was no choice but to break the tension. Over the last two weeks, they spent hours of shared rehearsal time, and Quinn found herself grateful for the development. She missed Sam and his lame jokes. She found herself happier than she could remember.

"Drink up, Hudson."

Startled, Finn looked up to find Coach Bieste holding out a water bottle. Giving her a half-smile, he took the bottle, muttering a thank you.

Susan hunkered down on the driftwood next to Finn.

"Look, I know today's been hard. And you're scared, but I'm going to need you to step up, son."

Finn glanced over at his coach. He spent most of the day in his own thoughts, following whatever Mr. Schue or Coach Sylvester ordered. Everything felt surreal, like it shouldn't be happening to them. Like any minute now, he'd wake up and be back in his room.

Finn shook his head, "I can lead on the football field and maybe even in glee club, but not this. I have no idea what to do."

"No one does. We're all scared here, Hudson. What we need is someone making sure we all work together. That's how we'll get through it."

Finn nodded, still feeling unconvinced, but glad to have Coach Bieste sitting with him. Coach patted his back as he opened the bottle, enjoying the warm water.

"We need to find the cockpit."

Will spun his head towards Sue in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"The cockpit. It detached from our portion of the plane during the crash. If we find the cockpit, there might be a transceiver. We could use that to send a signal, let people know where we are."

"How do you know all this?"

"Pilot's license."

Will smiled, "Of course."

"I want to take Preggers, Frankentein, and Lady Lips in the morning to search for it."

"Why them?"

"I don't know what we're going to find in that jungle, William, and I need people I can trust."

Will nodded solemnly, "I'll go too."

Sue shook her. "We need to keep the leadership here. Tomorrow may be a harder day for these kids."

Will sighed, hating that for once Sue was right.

"Why do you think Artie can walk?" Rachel asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Emma inhaled sharply, shaking herself from her tangled thoughts. She glanced to where Rachel stared. Brittany laid snuggled against Artie's chest, Santana leaning against her long legs. Noah sat next to Artie, smiling at something the smaller boy said.

"I don't know, but I think we should take any kind of blessing we can from this. And if that's one of them, we should focus on that."

Rachel gave her a small smile, huddling further under the blanket covering her shoulders. Since the crash, Rachel had been uncharacteristically quiet, opting to stick close to Ms. Pillsbury.

Emma watched Will walk across the small campsite, grateful for his presence.

"How are you guys holding up?"

Emma and Rachel nodded in unison, both attempting to put on a brave front.

"What happened to everyone else on the plane?" Tina small voice came from behind Rachel.

Will shook his head, "I don't know, Tina. We just have to hope that they're safe."

Tina dropped her head, her face tinged with sadness. Mike held onto her hand more tightly, his knuckles nearly white. He spent almost thirty minutes looking for her on the beach today, and the possibilities of what could have happened still plagued his mind. Earlier, he refused to help search the cabin, gluing himself to Tina's side instead.

Blaine stood from his spot next to Kurt. While New Directions took the Warblers under their wing, helping Wes maneuver the beach, making sure they got the same supplies from the cabin, with everyone still reeling from the day's events, they were all still sticking with the people they trusted most.

"Mr. Schue? If it's alright, there's a song I wanted to lead before it got too late."

Will held out his hand, "By all means. I think we could all use some music right now."

Blaine began to sing: _I've got this feeling that there's something that I missed_

Wes added hauntingly: _I could do most anything to you..._

Blaine began to walk slowly around the circle: _Don't you breathe, Don't you breathe_

_I could do most anything to you..._  
_Something happened, that I never understood_  
Kurt joined Wes' voice: _I could do most anything to you..._  
_You can't leave, No you can't leave_

_I could do most anything to you..._

Quinn, Santana and Artue began to harmonize softly, Blaine rocking on his feet to the rhythm.

_In slow motion, the blast is beautiful_ Blaine nodded to Will as he began to sing along.

_I could do most anything to you..._

_Doors slam shut, Doors slam shut  
I could do most anything to you..._

_A clock is ticking, but it's hidden far away  
I could do most anything to you..._

_Safe and sound, Safe and sound_

An eerie quiet filled the camp, before Rachel clapped softly for Blaine, inducing several other applauses from around the circle.

Will stood, speaking softly, "Thank you, Blaine. I think that sums up how everyone's feeling. We may not know what tomorrow will hold, but tonight, we know we're safe and we know we're together."

Rachel swallowed hard, glancing at Noah across the fire and finding his eyes already on her. She couldn't remember his excuse for sitting next to her on the flight, but she remembered thinking there wasn't anyone else she wanted beside her as they hit the turbulence. She could still feel his hand around hers as the plane plummeted, and the feeling terrified her.


	2. Day Two

**Day 2**

They woke the next morning at dawn, none well-rested. They ate in amiable quiet, picking at their limited food supplies.

The group began to rummage through the suitcases the boys brought from the cabin yesterday. The girls searched for more hospitable clothing and found little. Most of the luggage was filled with clothes for a night out in New York City, not hiking through a humid jungle.

"Alright, cadets! I will be taking a few of you on a search for the rest of our plane. The rest of you will continue making camp. One thing everyone will do is stay with the group. Is that understood?"

Sue nodded at the murmurs and wide eyes she received from her speech. Walking over to Quinn and Sam, she advised, "You'll need the right footwear, Fabray. I expect you to keep up."

Quinn glanced up at Sam in confusion before watching Coach Sylvester walk away.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to."

Quinn shook her head, rummaging through a stranger's suitcase, "It'll give me something to do. Keep my mind off the fact that we're stranded in the middle of nowhere."

Sam inwardly groaned as he watched Coach Sylvester talk to Finn. They got along for the club and the team, but every since the debacle with Quinn, he hated the guy. The last thing he wanted was an all day trek through a dangerous jungle with him. Not that it mattered, if Quinn was going, there was no way he was staying back.

* * *

Quinn turned her head, her face scrunched in amusement. They'd been walking for hours now, blindly following Coach Sylvester.

Sam followed her closely, catching her twice when she stumbled on stray branches. Even with Coach Sylvester's voice ringing in her ears to catch up, she still felt a blush crawl up her skin at the feel of Sam's hands gripping her waist, strong and sure.

For the last twenty minutes, he'd been humming softly behind her; the sound now evolving into quiet mumbling.

"What are you singing?"

Sam's head snapped up. He looked caught for a moment, before he flashed a crooked grin at the blonde girl in front of him. "Take Me Home Tonight."

Quinn continued walking, watching the ground beneath her carefully. "Seriously?"

"Yea! That's a great song," Sam began to sing, his voice still soft, but the words now audible:

_Take me home tonight_

_I don't want to let you go till you see the light_

_Take me home tonight_

_Listen honey just like Ronnie sang_

Quinn laughed, finishing the lyric, "_be my little baby_"

"Yea! That's what I'm talking about!"

Finn stopped abruptly in front of her. "What are you two doing?"

Sam walked the few steps till he stood by Quinn's side. "We're trying to make this adventure a little more bearable."

Finn glared at Sam, opening his mouth to retort when Sue cut him off, "Are you girls done chatting? We have a lot of miles to cover before dark."

Quinn rolled her eyes, brushing past both boys. Sam followed her, pushing Finn's shoulder with his own as he walked past. Finn scoffed, but kept his mouth shut, Coach Bieste's words ringing in his ear.

* * *

Will pushed against Puck's chest, blocking him as Susan grabbed David's shirt, pulling him back roughly.

"What the hell is going on here?" Coach Bieste's voice rang out.

"This punk won't shut up about the crash!"

The boys glared at each other, their bodies still strumming with adrenaline and anger.

"I don't care what it's about! Find a way to get along!"

David shook his head, taking off for the opposite end of the beach. Blaine quickly followed, shooting a glance over his shoulder at the rest of New Directions.

Puck walked towards the water, muttering obscenities under his breath. Falling into the sand, he watched the waves lap up the beach, the steady rhythm making him want to scream.

He hated being stuck on this friggin' island. He hated that the day after their plane crashed, everyone acted all calm and accommodating. They'd just survived a fucking plane crash, the normal reaction was anger.

And then that Warbler kept droning on and on about possible causes for the explosion, like it hadn't really happened to him. Like it was something they'd just seen on the news and he was analyzing it for one of his pretentious classes at that private school of his.

He looked up to find Rachel softly sitting next to him in the sand.

Closing his eyes, he sighed heavily, "Not now, Rachel. I'm not in the mood for one of your pep talks."

Her voice was quieter than he'd ever heard it, "That's good; I don't have one."

Feeling like a jackass, Noah shifted towards her. She shook her head, lifting her hand. "I'm fine. I just want to sit here, if that's ok."

Noah nodded, watching her out of the corner of his eye; like he had since the crash, maybe even before then. He kept his distance, hating that he could still feel her small hand in his, hating that he felt an unnatural need to protect her and feeling powerless to do anything.

She wasn't his. If he could just keep that mantra going, maybe he'd actually believe it and his reflexes wouldn't go into overdrive every time she stood near him.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, they all stared up into the trees, finally face-to-face with the nose of their plane. The trees in this area of the jungle were dense and tall, and the plane lay at the top, its weight barely supported by the branches beneath.

"Get going, ladies."

All three teens gaped at Coach Sylvester in surprise.

"I'm not going up there."

"Sure you are, Frankentein. If you want to go back to your precious glee club, and tell them we didn't find the radio because you're delicate sensibilities, I'll be happy to turn back now and settle in for our long stay here on this island. Otherwise, start climbing."

Quinn rolled her eyes, mumbling, "Let's just get this over with." Turning to Sam, she asked, "You in?"

Startled, Sam found himself nodding before he even knew what he was agreeing to. She placed her hands on his shoulders, giving him a jolt of confidence. It didn't matter, if Quinn was in, so was he.

Bending down, he clasped his hands together. Quinn placed her foot in his palms, jumping up and catching the lowest branch in her hands. Letting out a grunt, she pulled herself up. Carefully, she placed her feet on the branch, her fingers clutching the tree for leverage.

Turning to Finn, Sam asked, "You coming?" before taking a running leap and catching the branch. Hoisting himself up, he followed Quinn's ascent, climbing up towards the plane.

Sighing heavily, Finn grudgingly jumped up, his fingers easily reaching the limb.

Finally at the top, Quinn stopped to catch her breath. The tree's limbs were denser up here, making it easier to climb. The plane however sat at a nearly vertical angle, making the journey to the cockpit that much harder.

Sam lifted himself up, sitting across from her, grinning in child-like excitement. "Ready?"

Quinn scoffed, smiling despite their situation.

Leaning over her, Sam grasped the aisle seat in the last row, hoisting himself into the plane. Kneeling on the seats, he reached down, easily grasping Quinn's hand and pulling her up onto the seats with him.

Quinn grasped Sam's arms tightly as she tried to find her balance at this new angle. Sam's hands dipped down to her waist, his fingers strumming along the edge of her top.

"We can wait for Finn."

Quinn glanced up, momentarily jarred by their close proximity. Swallowing hard, she nodded quickly, feeling the rapid beat of her heart hammering in her chest. "Yea, we should wait for Finn."

"You know, I've always hated planes." Quinn scrunched her eyebrows together, her face hidden in his shoulder. "The first time I flew alone, I thought I was having a panic attack. I sat next to this random guy and he told me his secret to flying. Close your eyes, imagine your favorite place, and count back from 100. It worked. I still do it every takeoff."

Quinn's stomach stopped turning. Feeling braver, she glided her hands over his arms, laying her head on his shoulder. Whispering, she asked, "Where did you picture?"

Sam chuckled, his breath ghosting over her ear. "A beach."

Quinn smiled, relaxing into his embrace.

Hearing a rustle of leaves behind her, she quickly pulled away, ignoring his gaze. She turned back towards the aisle, shifting to hang her legs off the side of the row. She swallowed hard, reminding herself they were on a mission.

Finn sat heavily on the branches below them, his breathing labored.

"You ready for this?"

Smirking at her challenging tone, Finn dropped his head, before meeting both Quinn and Sam's gaze. "Let's do this."

* * *

The rain at the beach quickly turned to a downpour. Everyone scrambled to find some type of covering, whether it was a tarp or a metal sheet from the plane.

Brittany huddled next to Santana, calling out for Artie to join them.

Artie shook his head. "This is the best I've ever felt. I'm not wasting it!"

Dancing in the wet sand, he sang loudly,

_I want to walk in the open wind  
I want to talk like lovers do  
I want to dive in your ocean  
Is it raining with you?  
_Laughing, Brittany and Santana ran out from under their blanket, joining Artie:

_Here comes the rain again  
Falling on my head like a memory  
Falling on my head like a new emotion_

Will smiled as he watched the rest of his glee club begin to file out, laughing in the rain. Tina and Mike twirled around the circle; Kurt grabbed Rachel's hand pulling her out into rain despite her squeals of protest. Mercedes danced around David and Blaine, everyone belting the next verse:

_I want to breathe in the open wind  
I want to kiss like lovers do  
I want to dive in your ocean  
Is it raining with you?_

Will glanced over at Emma. She sat on her heels, tears filling her wide eyes, staring at the scene in front of her. Reaching over, he grabbed her hand in her lap, squeezing it tightly in his own.

She laughed as a stray tear fell down her cheek, "We're going to get through this, aren't we?"

Will gave her a genuine smile murmuring a hell yes, before pulling her out of their makeshift tent. She squealed in delight, clutching his shoulders as the rain pelted them. Holding her close, he spinned her in the sand, loving the feel of her breathless in his arms.


	3. Day Three

**Day Three**

Sighing heavily, Quinn turned over on her small blanket for the hundredth time. Tucking her hand under her pillow, her gaze fell on the sand beneath her. Considering how physically exhausted she felt, her inability to fall asleep was incredibly frustrating.

After finding the plane yesterday, they endured another four hour hike, making it back to the beach a few hours after sunset. They were immediately met by their entire team; everyone surrounding them with questions, talking over one another.

Coach Syvlester quickly took over, shouting over the din to explain while they were successful in finding the radio, it, like everything else on the plane, was dead.

Quinn quietly exited the group during her speech, heading towards the water. Breathing in the salty air, she closed her eyes, focusing on the sound of the crashing waves instead of the numerous voices behind her.

Sam joined her a few minutes later, shifting in the sand beside her, "David thinks he can fix the radio."

Quinn nodded, barely meeting his eyes.

Since their adventure in the jungle, she found it necessary to continually remind herself that she didn't need a boy. Wasn't that the one thing the last two years taught her? When it came to boys, she made mistakes. Costly mistakes that resulted in babies, secrets, abandonment, and heartbreak.

No, she would do this on her own, like everything else. God-willing, she'd soon be back in Ohio, and they could all pretend that this never happened.

However, reminding herself of all this did nothing to quell the somersaults in her stomach. She felt like she lost her balance the moment Sam pulled her into that plane, and she had yet to find it again.

Mercedes soft voice broke her reverie, "Couldn't sleep?"

She shook her head, "How about you?"

She shrugged, before turning towards her friend. "I hate to say I'm getting used to it."

Quinn smiled, reaching out and grasping her hand in her own. "Thanks for letting me stay with you."

The castaways built makeshift tents yesterday, using materials they found along the beach. Nearly everyone shared their tiny abodes with one or two friends, and Quinn was relieved to be paired with Mercedes.

"Like old times," Quinn smirked at Mercedes wide smile, "You've been quiet since you got back? Was it bad?"

Quinn licked her lips. "No, I'm just tired."

"Alright, out with it. What happened?"

"Nothing, I swear."

Mercedes rolled her eyes, shifting in the sand, "Well, whatever is going on, you and Sam need to work it out. You two stare at each other more than Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury. And that's saying a lot."

Quinn sighed heavily, shifting to her back, "I think I've caused enough damage there. I doubt Sam wants to repeat past mistakes."

"You might do things differently."

"Like I did with Finn?"

"Sam's not Finn."

Quinn only met Mercedes' eyes in response.

She was right, which only made her unease multiply. From day one with Finn, she knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. Sam was an entirely different story.

* * *

David ran to Will, holding out the radio. "I think I got it to work!"

Shaking the sleep from his head, he leaned forward in the passenger seat he spent the night in, "That's great, David. We appreciate the help."

David continued, speaking rapidly, high on adrenaline and lack of sleep, "Whatever gets us home. I think the radio works, but there's no reception down here. The beach is too low on the island. We need to get the radio up to higher ground if we want to try to transmit a signal."

Will squinted at the younger boy, processing his words. "You want to go where?"

* * *

"I want to go."

All three teachers stared at Susan in surprise. "Don't look at me like that! All this sitting around and waiting for help, it's making me itch. I got do something, even if it's helping that techie get up a mountain."

Will nodded, smirking, "Alright, then it's decided. Susan will go with David."

Emma's quiet voice spoke up for the first time, "You need more than two of them."

Before Will could respond, Sue jumped in, "For once, couldn't agree with doe-eyes more."

Emma spoke quickly, her words barely above a whisper, "It's too important. If something happens to one of you, we'll never know if the signal was sent."

Will sighed, before agreeing, "Let's let the kids decide."

* * *

"I would like to go," Rachel held up her hand meekly.

"No way."

Rachel sighed at Finn's firm voice behind her.

"Why not? You went yesterday," Santana's biting voice asked.

"Because it's dangerous. And I don't see you volunteering, Santana."

"I'm not, but Yentle is; and I say, if she wants to go, more power to her."

Rachel and Santana's eyes met, and for once weren't filled with competition, but rather mutual respect.

"I'm in too," everyone turned to Puck in surprise, as Finn scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Will glanced around the group, nodding once, "Alright, David, Coach Bieste, Rachel, and Puck will all go."

As the group dispersed, Finn walked over to Rachel, grasping her arm, "I get that you're trying to be the hero, but you don't know what's out there."

"Neither did you, and I didn't see you turning down Coach Sylvester yesterday."

"That's different—"

"No, it's not. I'm just as capable as you in helping out the team."

"There a problem here?"

Finn sighed heavily, muttering a 'whatever' before walking further down the beach.

Glancing at Puck, Rachel whispered, "Thanks."

Puck nodded, his eyes widening as Tina stomped towards them through the sand.

She spoke quickly, her voice strained, "You have to ask Mike to come with you!"

"Why?"

"He's been glued to my side since we landed! I can't breathe without him looking over my shoulder!"

Rachel tried to soothe the agitated girl, "He's just worried about you."

"I know!" Tina yelled out, causing several of their friends to look over concerned, "Look, I know he's worried and we're all upset about what could have happened, but I need some space!"

Puck put up his hands, "Chill out, girl."

"What's going on?" Mike arrived, right on cue, standing next to Tina, looking between Puck and Rachel, completely oblivious of the previous conversation.

Tina closed her eyes in defeat.

Rachel spoke up, stumbling over her words, "Actually, I was hoping you would come with us, Mike. And I was asking Tina if that was ok with her."

Mike looked confused by the request, as Tina's entire body went slack in relief.

Turning to him, she encouraged, "Yes! They need some help, and I think you should go."

"I don't—"

"I'll be fine, Mike. I'll be with the other twenty people here on the beach."

Mike's gaze switched between Rachel and Tina, attempting to follow the exchange, "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely! You go and tell the world where we are so we can get off this god-forsaken island."

* * *

"C'mon, slow poke."

Artie smirked from his spot on the shore. Blaine carried long bamboo canes, while Kurt reluctantly trudged through the sand behind him.

"What are you guys doing?"

Kurt answered, his tone snippy, "Blaine thinks we're going to catch our dinner tonight with those bamboo sticks, even though neither of us have ever been fishing."

"Yo, I have," Artie jogged over to them, grabbing a pole from Blaine.

"Seriously, you mind helping?" Blaine asked.

"Absolutely. It's all about patience. We got this, ya'll."

* * *

"We walked far enough for your freaking standards, nerd?"

David rolled his eyes, gritting his teeth for the hundredth time this trip. He had no idea why Puck volunteered for the hike, especially given the amount of complaints and expletives he spewed during the expedition.

"He doesn't mean it."

David glanced to his left, surprised to find Rachel keeping pace with him at the front of their small group.

"You all seem to give him a lot of rope."

Rachel shrugged, "He's come through more times than you'd expect."

David nodded, stopping near the top of the hill, taking out the radio from his backpack. "Alright let's try this thing."

They crowded around him, waiting anxiously for any results. David turned on a switch on the side, twisting a dial at the sound of static. Soon, beeping replaced the static.

Mike asked, "What's that?"

"There's another transmission."

"Professor X, we're not all in your special school. Speak English."

Frustrated, David took a step towards Puck, before Mike placed a hand on his chest, asking, "What does that mean, that there's another transmission?"

Taking in a deep breath, David explained, "It means we can't send a distress call because another signal is blocking us."

Confused, Coach Bieste asked, "What would do that?"

David shrugged, shaking his head, "I don't know. Another signal from another transmitter?"

"So you're saying there's another radio on this island?"

David looked around the group as dumbfounded as they were.

Coach Bieste's stated calmly, "We should get back, guys."

Rachel watched everyone nod, heading back down the mountain, feeling frozen in place by the implications and silence. Moving forward on auto-pilot, she nearly jumped at the feel of Puck's hand sliding into hers. For once, she didn't pull away, happy to know she wasn't alone.

* * *

Sam jumped over the log, sitting close to Quinn, "How you holding up?"

Quinn smiled, "I'm ok."

"You know, Finn and I made a tent right next to yours," hitting her leg with his own, he smirked, "Kind of makes us neighbors."

She chuckled, "Is that right?"

Quietly, Sam added, his voice full of sincerity, "I'm here, Quinn."

She nodded, swallowing hard, wondering how she got here again.

Rachel laughed as she watched Tina thread her arm through Mike's, kissing his check, pride written all over her face.

"What?" Puck followed the direction of her gaze, before smiling himself. "He's so whipped."

Rachel hit his arm lightly, before replicating Tina's body language. Placing a warm hand on his thigh, she kissed his cheek, asking, "Is that really so bad?"

Puck just rolled his eyes, vainly attempting to suppress his grin.

Will stood, calling out to the kids, "Alright, guys, before we eat, I want to say a thank you to everyone for stepping up. I know the last few days haven't been easy, but hopefully we've seen the worst, and we'll be found sooner rather than later." Santana and Brittany clapped, shouting out their agreement. "I want to extend a special thank you to Kurt, Blaine, and Artie for providing us with a real meal tonight!"

At this, the entire circle clapped, everyone eager to eat the fish grilling over the fire.

All three boys stood, Blaine speaking to the group, "We wanted to express our own appreciation for those who volunteered to go out in the jungle. Even though the radio didn't work, it was really brave of you to try to get us rescued. So here's a little song for you…"

All three boys sang:

_Help, I need somebody  
Help, not just anybody  
Help, you know I need someone  
Help!_

Artie walked around the circle to Brittany, grabbing her hand as he sang:

_When I was younger, so much younger than today  
I never needed anybody's help in any way  
But now these days are gone I'm not so self-assured  
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors_

Sam leaned into Quinn, bumping into her on their small shared log, making her laugh. Emma stood, grabbing Mercedes hand and dancing around the fire with Mike and Tina in tow.

_Help me if you can, I'm feeling down  
And I do appreciate you being 'round  
Help me get my feet back on the ground  
Won't you please, please help me?_

Puck joined in the song, singing exaggeratedly to Rachel, who soon joined in his theatrics:

_And now my life has changed in oh so many ways  
My independence seems to vanish in the haze  
But every now and then I feel so insecure  
I know that I just need you like I've never done before_


	4. Day Seven

**Day Seven**

Mercedes' scream echoed along the beach. Sam and Finn woke with a start, scrambling out of their tent towards the ruckus.

They were immediately met by a snarling, wild boar.

"Holy shit!" Sam froze, swallowing roughly.

The boar stood between the boys and girls, clearly trying to decide which were the bigger threat. Quinn and Mercedes clung to each other, backed into a corner of their tent.

Yelling came from behind them and Sam barely jumped out of the way as David ran towards the animal, clinging tightly to a torch and waving it at the boar.

It spooked quickly, running back towards the jungle. Sam and Finn immediately ran to the girls, helping them up from the ground.

"Hey, it's ok. You're ok," Sam spoke softly, running his hands up Quinn's back, holding her to him.

After a moment's hesitation, Quinn relaxed into him, a shudder running through her body.

The noise woke the rest of their camp; their teachers quickly arriving to the scene.

"Everyone ok?" Mr. Schue asked, tense and breathless.

Finn nodded, glancing at Sam and Quinn, before speaking for the group. "Yea, we're ok."

Stepping back, Quinn wiped at her eyes, walking over to Mercedes and hugging her tightly.

David jogged back to their now demolished tent. "It's gone, but there must be a pack close by."

Sam nodded, shaking David's hand, "Thanks, man."

Mercedes shaky voice chimed in, "Yes, thank you."

* * *

"Will, can we talk?" Emma asked tentatively.

He quickly agreed, placing a hand on the small of her back to lead her further down the beach.

"I'm worried about the kids."

"I know, me too. We keep expecting to be rescued any day now, and when we don't—."

Emma stopped, waving her hands at Will, "Exactly! Maybe it's time to think of what happens if we don't get rescued."

"We're gonna get rescued, Emma."

"I know, eventually we will get rescued. But we don't know where we are or even how we got here. It may take some time for anyone to find us."

"What are you saying?"

Glancing behind him at the young adults talking and laughing in the sand, Emma lowered her voice, "We're running out of water. We barely have enough food. Wild animals are running through our camp. Maybe it's time to look at some other options."

Will folded his arms across his chest, "Like what?"

"I don't know. We've been here for a week, and we have no idea what else is out there. We need water, and we've only searched a small part of this huge island," Will ducked his head, sighing heavily, "I just think that at this point, it's just as dangerous to continue sitting here on this beach as it is trekking into the wilderness."

Will met her eyes, recognizing the sincerity behind her words.

"You're right. I'll see who else is interested and we'll start looking."

* * *

"So, what's up with you and Quinn?"

Sam smirked, asking bitingly, "Couldn't even wait twenty minutes, huh?"

Finn sighed, halting his steps. He and Sam were the only two to volunteer to search the island with Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury. And as much as they competed in nearly everything at school, he actually liked Sam. And from what he saw last night, Sam genuinely cared about Quinn. Despite all the drama over the last two years, Finn knew Quinn deserved better than what he and Puck gave her.

"Look, I'm sorry for how things went down with Quinn. We have a lot of shared history and I was in a bad place and it was wrong." Sam rolled his eyes. "I know it's lame to say, but I think you and I make good teammates. And if we're going to make it through this, I'd like to bury the hatchet."

Sam smirked, "A hatchet would actually be kinda useful out here." Finn chuckled, hoping he made some headway. Relenting, Sam sighed, "Fine. Whatever, we're cool."

Finn smiled widely, bumping Sam's fist with his own, "Cool."

"Boys, over here!"

Sam and Finn's wide eyes met momentarily, before they both ran towards Ms. Pillsbury's voice.

She greeted them at a large opening at the bottom of one of the hills on the island, a pleased expression on her face, "Welcome home, gentlemen."

The boys entered an extensive, cavernous area. As their eyes adjusted to the dimmed light, they discerned Mr. Schuester standing against the rock wall on the opposite end of the cave.

Tilting his head to the left, Will smiled widely, "Over here, guys."

As they walked further in, they noticed several offshoots of smaller enclosures and the sound of rushing water. Joining Mr. Schuester, their eyes widened at the small waterfall falling into a clear, blue lagoon.

Sam and Finn grinned as Mr. Schue spoke, the glee evident in his voice, "And we have water, fellas."

* * *

"Alright, everyone gather round." Will looked out anxiously at his students and colleagues. "We found a set of caves today. It's about twenty minutes north from the beach. There's freshwater inside and we also found a set of supplies."

"Like what?" Tina asked.

Will met Emma's eyes briefly, before summoning the courage to continue, "We found several canteens of food, a guitar, clothes—"

"—from our plane?" Rachel asked eagerly.

Will sighed deeply, before responding, "No."

An eerie silence fell over the small group as everyone processed the implications.

"This is just an option. Ms. Pillsbury and I will be taking a group back to the caves tonight. We'll bring back more water and supplies in the morning. We still want to make ourselves as visible as possible for any rescue planes or boats. Coach Sue and Coach Bieste have volunteered to stay on the beach." Will surveyed his students, all with frightened and distressed expressions. "Guys, we are going to get through this, and we will be rescued. Let's just make the best of what we got."

* * *

Quinn sat with her knees to her chest, watching the waves lick up the shore.

After her trip into the jungle, she learned her lesson. Over the last week, she played it as safe as possible. She spent her days surrounded by friends, avoiding any time alone with Sam.

But last night, when the boar wrangled into her tent, she was terrified. And then Sam was there, feeling strong and solid against her, calming her.

This wasn't real life. Real life was the hallways of McKinley High. Real life was the watchful eye of her mother, telling her not to make the same mistakes. She didn't need Sam in real life and she didn't him now.

She just needed to convince her traitorous heart and stomach of the same facts.

"Don't have much to pack?"

Quinn swallowed hard, not even bothering to laugh at Sam's attempt at a joke. Instead of disappearing, he settled into the sand next to her, "We're going to be ok—"

"I don't want to go."

She heard the hum of panic in his voice. "What? You have to, Quinn."

She shook her head, her expression resolute, despite the tears in her eyes. "I just want to go home."

* * *

Resolutely, Rachel walked across their camp to where Puck stood, adjusting the tarp covering his small tent.

They spent the last week dancing around their blossoming relationship. She wasn't even sure if that's what it was. She just knew, she felt safest with him. Maybe she always had, and she took it for granted, so hell bent on being with Finn. But now, knowing her feelings, she felt more confused than ever.

"You're not going?" Rachel asked quietly.

Barely sparing her a glance, Puck responded coolly, "Hell, no. I don't need to get comfortable on this hell-hole."

Rachel glanced over to her tent where Mike helped Tina fold her blanket. "Mr. Schue thinks it's safer."

Puck shook his head, settling into his passenger seat from the plane, "It just looks safer. Trust me, it's no better than out here."

Rachel licked her lips, still unconvinced. She watched Puck lean his head back, closing his eyes, the very picture of cool unattachment. Rolling her eyes, she walked away, nearly running into Finn.

Placing a hand on her arm, he chuckled, "Sorry." She smiled, but it fell quickly. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she bit her bottom lip. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Finn glanced around, asking, "Where's your stuff? I'll help you carry it."

"I haven't decided if I'm going or not."

Finn lowered his voice, "Rachel, you have to. It's safer in the caves."

"But what if we miss the boat—"

"We're not going to miss anything. I want—" Rachel looked up at him, her eyes wide and guileless, as always, "I'll just worry if you stay."

* * *

"Are you going?"

"No," Santana responded bitingly. "Look, all I want is to get home. All those fools can go make nice in the caves, but I'll be here when the rescue shows up."

"Artie's going," Brittany replied sadly.

"Of course he is. This place is like paradise for him. He can use his legs; he catches our food. He's a god here."

"I don't want to leave you."

Santana rolled her eyes, shaking her head, "Just go, Brittany."

* * *

"And here we go."

Quinn glanced at Mercedes, still annoyed with her twenty minute plea to join her in the caves, "What?"

Mercedes nodded behind Quinn. She turned to find Sam walking towards them, a guitar slung over his shoulder.

Strumming the first few cords, his voice carried over the short distance between them, his eyes fixed on her:

_There is no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard  
No song that I could sing, but I can try for your heart  
Our dreams and they are made out of real things  
Like a shoebox of photographs  
With sepia tone loving  
Love is the answer  
At least for most of the questions in my heart  
Like why are we here? And where do we go?  
And how come it's so hard?  
It's not always easy and  
Sometimes life can be deceiving  
I'll tell you one thing, it's always better when we're together_

Quinn felt her eyes fill with tears, momentarily startled by the cheers from Kurt and Blaine next to her. Swallowing, she smiled widely, watching Sam walk slowly towards her:

_Mmm, it's always better when we're together  
Yeah, we'll look at the stars when we're together  
Well, it's always better when we're together  
Yeah, it's always better when we're together_

Everyone clapped loudly, smiles and laughter replacing the somber atmosphere in the camp.

Quinn sauntered over to Sam, her voice soft, "Nice song choice."

He stared at her, the anticipation evident in his eyes, "Thanks."

She dropped her gaze to the sand beneath their feet, still trying to string the words tumbling in her head. Inhaling sharply, she gathered her courage, "So the caves?"

A slow smile spread over Sam's face. "If you're there, I'm there."

The side of Quinn's mouth quirked in a smile, and looking up at Sam's pleased expression, she made up her mind.

She closed the small gap between them, leaning on her toes to smooth a hand over his stubbled cheek. Sam immediately responded, his fingers tentatively grasping her hips, bending his head towards hers.

"Better together?" she whispered, feeling her breath hit his cheek.

Sam leaned down, capturing her lips with his own, kissing her soundly. His hands wrapped around her waist, as she gave into the kiss, running her hands over his shoulders.

* * *

"So you're leaving with the hero?"

Rachel stood quickly, anxious about his reaction to her decision.

Smoothing back her hair, she stood straighter, answering simply, "Yes, I decided to sleep in the caves, but no I'm not going with 'the hero', like you said."

Puck nodded, refusing to meet her eyes. It was times like these that made Rachel want to scream. She couldn't even begin to guess what he was thinking. She waited for a caustic remark, dreaming up a thousand retorts.

Sighing, Puck spoke, sincerity wrapped around his words, "Look, just watch out for yourself. Don't try to be the hero out there."

Surprised, Rachel found herself speechless, "Ok."

Puck nodded once, giving her a small, sad smile, before walking away.

* * *

Artie watched Quinn throw her head back with laughter, her hand tightly wound in Sam's as they headed down the path towards the caves.

"You guys coming?" Mr. Schue asked.

Artie nodded, asking for Mr. Schue to give him a second, before turning to his girlfriend, a forlorn expression gracing her pretty features.

"Brittany, you need to stay."

Confusion quickly clouded her face. "I thought you said you wanted to go to the caves?"

Artie sighed, "I do. But I think you should stay."

"Why?"

"You know why," Artie glanced behind her, catching Santana staring at them, before she quickly looked away. He placed his hands on her hips, meeting Brittany's gaze. "I love you. I probably always will, but you don't belong with me. Someone else needs you more than me now."

Brittany's eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to break up with you."

Artie smiled, "Don't think of it like a break up. Think of it like now you get to be with the person you want and still have me as a friend."

Brittany pulled Artie in a tight embrace, whispering in his ear, "I love you too."

Artie smiled as he watched her walk to Santana, the two talking for a moment, before Santana met his eyes, her expression full of hope.

Turning back to Mr. Schue, he took in a deep breath, before nodding, "Now, I'm ready."


	5. Day 12

**Day 12**

"Alright, alright, my turn!"

Rachel began humming an upbeat melody, smiling widely.

After a few chords, Emma raised her hand, her face alight with excitement, singing with Rachel:

_Upside down  
Boy, you turn me_

Kurt and Tina joined their harmony, the entire group bopping to the song,

_Inside out  
And round and round_

Will clapped, "Alright, Emma! Nicely done."

Emma grinned, feeling the group's collective stare at her, waiting for her choice in their impromptu game of Name That Tune.

She hummed cheerily, before Artie and David smiled simultaneously, singing to Emma's beat,

_Think I wanna drive your Benz  
I don't  
Think I wanna floss, I got my own  
Even if you were broke  
My love don't cost a thing_

Mercedes and Quinn broke out:

_When I took a chance  
Thought you'd understand  
Baby, credit cards aren't romance  
So you'll try and buy what's already yours  
What I need from you is not available in stores_

The boys all sang together:

_All that matters is  
That you treat me right  
Give me all the things I need  
That money can't buy yeah_

Grinning and moving to the beat, the entire circle sang the chorus:

_Think you gotta keep me iced  
You don't  
Think I'm gonna spend your cash  
I won't  
Even if you were broke  
My love don't cost a thing_

Laughter, applause, and cat calls filled the quiet cave. At the late hour, it was lit only by the numerous torches scattered around the enclosed area.

Several rounds now completed, a quiet silence fell over their small group. Quinn leaned to her left, nestling into Sam's side, his arm wrapping around her back.

"What do you miss most from home?" Rachel asked quietly.

"Tater tots." Everyone snickered at Mercedes quick response.

"Slushies," Mike added with a smirk, causing the group to laugh outright.

Finn smiled wistfully, "My drums."

Quinn closed her eyes, imagining the luxury, "A shower."

Sam spoke with mock seriousness, "My movie collection."

David nodded, "I'm with you on that."

Artie groaned, "I'd give anything for one video game."

"I miss my clothes." Mike smiled at Tina's forlorn expression, running his hand up her back.

"What about you, Mr. Schue?"

Will smiled, "Honestly, some days, all I want is a cold six-pack and I think life could be pretty sweet on our little slice of beach."

Emma shook her head, her grin still etched across her face, "I want one of those fruity drinks with the umbrella in it."

"Kurt, what about you?"

"My dad."

Rachel met his eyes, echoing his response, "Me too."

Sensing the mood shift, Will spoke, his voice filled with sincerity, "Guys, we'll find a way home."

* * *

Quinn let out a long breath, staring up at the high, jagged rock ceiling. Since the crash, she rarely slept, her stomach constantly twisting in knots. Rolling her head to the side, she glanced over at the sleeping forms of her 'roommates', Tina, Mercedes and Rachel, all three breathing peacefully.

Despite her previous reservations, Quinn found herself bonding with Rachel during their time on the island. She wasn't sure if it was the lack of competition or if she was finally done with Finn and Puck, but the girl no longer seemed a threat.

Hearing a rustle of noise, Quinn sat up, peering in the darkness.

Sam slept in the small, enclosed area next to them with Mr. Schuester, Finn, and Artie. Sometimes, very late at night, after everyone else fell asleep, he would take her hand and they would run to a nearby lake. The two would play in the water, whispering and stealing kisses till dawn broke. Slowly, she was learning to trust not only Sam, but herself with him.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Quinn didn't find Sam in the center of the cave, but instead watched pebbles fall onto the dirt ground. Standing slowly, she listened as the low rumbling amplified, bigger rocks falling from the wall. Before she could piece together the signs, the cave filled with dust and a deafening crash.

Catching her breath, she felt her stomach fall. She ran out, nearly falling into Mike and Kurt. Turning to her left, her breath leapt from her lungs. The entrance to the small enclosure that held Sam was now walled off from top to bottom by red dirt and rocks.

* * *

Quinn could feel her heart beating hard and fast against her chest. The noise of everyone around her reacting to the cave-in sounded far away, like she was underwater.

Rachel bumped into her, startling her from her thoughts. She ran to the wall, yelling for anyone to answer.

Tina stood next to her with Mike, asking, "What are we going to do?"

Quinn glanced towards Ms. Pillsbury, the only adult left in the room. Her large eyes were wide and glazed, her face a blanched white, her whole body nearly shaking with fright.

Stepping forward, Quinn yelled above the clamoring voices, "Everybody, shut up!"

Her friends turned to her with wide eyes.

Placing her hands on her hips, she forced her voice to remain calm and steady, "We aren't going to be able to hear them if everyone is talking. Rachel, go to the beach and get as many people as you can to come help. Tina and Mercedes, bring as much water and medical supplies as you can find; we need to be ready in case anyone is hurt. Kurt, see if you can find anything that will help us create a tunnel; a shovel, a bucket, I don't care. The rest of you, let's start digging."

Everyone stood frozen for a moment, silently staring at Quinn, before Mercedes stepped forward, "You heard the girl, get moving."

* * *

By the time Rachel returned, everyone stood helplessly to the side, concern etched on their faces. Sweat poured down Quinn's body, her face white, her arms shaking with exhaustion as she filled a bucket with rocks, tossing the heavy load behind her, before repeating the process.

Brittany clasped a hand over her mouth, her eyes filling with tears. Turning to Santana, she cried softly into the girl's shoulder, Santana softly rubbing her back.

Blaine stood beside Rachel, meeting her confused gaze with his own. Whispering to Kurt, they asked, "What's going on?"

Kurt shook his head, his voice filled with frustration, "She's been doing this for hours. She won't take a break or let anyone else help."

Sue stepped forward, "That's it, Q. Take five."

Quinn shook her head, stubbornly setting her jaw, "I'm fine."

Sue shook her head, "Either you get off that wall or I'll get Mohawk boy to pull you off."

Quinn tried to take a steadying breath, but only felt another wave of dizziness hit her. She stood shakily, about to argue, when Rachel stepped forward, "You've done all you can. If we're really going to save them, you need to let us help."

Quinn's eyes filled with tears, and despite her best efforts, she felt a sob slip out of her chest. She nearly collapsed on top of Rachel, before Kurt and Blaine stepped forward, helping the girls towards the lagoon in the back of the cave.

Her arm around Quinn, Rachel glanced back at Puck, meeting his gaze.

Swallowing Puck ordered flippantly, "Santana, let's do this."

* * *

Four hours later, they group made enough of a dent in the rock wall to extricate all four of the boys. While dehydrated, they all managed to escape with only minor cuts and bruises.

Brittany, Puck and Santana volunteered to stay behind. Brittany wanted to be near Artie, and Santana wanted to look after them both.

Sue asked for volunteers to replace the three at the beach. Kurt, Mike and Tina all stood, wanting to help out in any way they could.

Ever since Rachel ran out onto the beach this morning, breathless and scared, Puck felt like he was transported back to the day of the crash. That unfamiliar reflex of fierce protectiveness ran through him like a fuse. It was easy to hide it from the rest of the group; after all it was his best friend that was trapped today. But if he was really honest, he wasn't staying back to make sure Finn was ok.

* * *

Emma swallowed hard, wrapping the bandage tight around Will's arm.

Will placed a hand over hers, his voice soft, "You're shaking."

Emma looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears, "I thought—"

Will shook his head, wrapping his arm around her, pulling her into him. "Hey, I'm right here."

Closing her eyes, Emma relaxed into Will's shoulder, sending yet another silent prayer of thanks that he was indeed alright. Pulling back, she chuckled quietly, wiping away a few stray tears.

* * *

Quinn watched Sam dive head first into the lake, emerging seconds later, his body glistening in the moonlight.

"You just gonna watch?"

Quinn bit her lip, walking a few steps, stopping when the water hit her thighs. Sam met her half way, his fingers threading through hers.

"Thanks for saving me."

Quinn smiled before shrugging, feigning nonchalantness, "It was nothing."

Sam returned her smile, bringing his hand to her neck, tilting her head to meet his lips.

Quinn pulled away abruptly, her gaze falling to the water.

"What?"

Determinately, she met his gaze, "I love you."

Sam smiled, his thumb skittering across her cheek, "I love you back."

Raising his eyebrows, he asked, "You trust me?"

Bending quickly, he threw Quinn over his shoulder, her laughter ringing out over the peaceful lake. Within seconds, they were a mess of tangled limbs and smiles, falling into the clear, blue water together.


	6. Day 19

**Day 19**

Quinn's scream rang out in the quiet jungle.

Sam met Finn's confused expression before sprinting down the path and into the caves.

Quinn sat, doubled over, atop her makeshift bed. Her whole body shook as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Sam knelt beside her, his hand sliding up her arm. She instantly clutched onto him, her fingertips turning white from her forceful grip.

"Hey, it's ok."

Quinn shook her head, her voice strangled, "He tried to take me!"

"Who?" Sam looked up, glancing around the cave and finding it empty.

"There's someone else out there!"

* * *

"Look, we're all stressed out here. Quinn hasn't been sleeping well."

"What are you trying to say?" Sam quickly retorted.

Calmly, Will responded, "She might just be having a nightmare, that in the moment seems very vivid."

"And what if it's not? Look, no offence Mr. Schue, but I don't need your permission."

Will sighed, glancing over to where Rachel and Emma flanked a still distraught Quinn. Her fear was real; there was no doubt about that.

But her accusation of a man hiding in jungle; trying to hurt them? It seemed a little far-fetched, even considering their circumstances.

Relenting, Will nodded, "Alright, but you're not going alone."

Sam shook his head, adjusting his backpack. "Finn went to get Mike and Puck."

"I'm going too."

* * *

Puck watched Finn talk excitedly with Coach Bieste, Kurt, and Tina, continually pointing towards the jungle.

Meeting Mike's eyes, he tilted his head towards Finn's direction, "What's going on?"

Mike shrugged, "I don't know. You want to check it out?"

Walking over to the group, Noah felt his gut fill with dread. Lately, the caves hadn't delivered any good news; and with the looks on all their faces, this wasn't going to be either.

"What's going on?"

"Quinn thinks someone's trying to hurt her."

Puck made a face, "Who?"

"She thinks someone else is on the island."

"What the hell?"

Tina walked behind the tiny circle, grabbing Mike's arm and whispering, "I want to talk to you."

Puck and Finn watched Tina and Mike walk away as Coach Bieste murmured, "If this is true, guys, this could be really bad."

"What's the plan?"

Finn shrugged, "Sam wanted me to get a few guys together. Search the jungle for whatever Quinn thinks she saw."

Puck nodded, "I want to go."

* * *

Tina gripped Mike's elbow, whispering, "I think I might have seen him too."

Mike's eyes grew to saucers, "What? Why didn't you tell me?"

Tina sighed, stumbling over words, "I don't know—I thought I imagined it! I was in the jungle and I thought I felt something—I don't know. And when I turned around there was a blur, but…" Tina shrugged, unable to find the right words.

Mike closed his eyes, cursing this stupid island for the millionth time. Could it make it any harder to keep Tina safe?

Holding her hand tightly, he bent, catching her gaze with his own, "Please, stay with Coach Bieste. Don't move, don't even breathe, without her knowing about it."

Tina rolled her eyes, looking away.

"Please, for me."

Hesitantly, she nodded, wrapping her arms around him.

* * *

Quinn couldn't remember ever feeling so stir crazy, and she spent her entire life in Lima. It was like the claustrophobia was crawling into her lungs. She could still feel his hands grabbing at her leg, sending shivers through her whole body.

Glancing around the tiny cave for the hundredth time, Quinn rolled her eyes at the sideways glances she received from her teammates. More than used to that treatment in the halls of McKinley High, she refused to be labeled as the weak one now.

Standing, she walked towards the path to the beach, nearly running into the boys as they returned from their search. She listened to Mike tell Ms. Pillsbury they found nothing.

Frustrated, Quinn walked around Sam, heading back towards the beach.

Dropping his bag, Sam jogged to catch up with his girlfriend. "Hey! Where you going?"

"Back to the beach."

"What? Why?"

"Because I can't sit in that cave for one more second!"

"Look, Quinn, I know—"

Quinn spun on her heel, poking Sam's chest, her voice rising, "You don't! You weren't there! And I'm not crazy! I know what I saw!"

Sam held up his hands in surrender, "No one's calling you crazy," Quinn took a breath, fighting the emotion bubbling in her chest, "I believe you. I just don't think the beach is any safer than the caves."

After a moment's hesitation, Quinn looked up, her eyes glassy with unshed tears, "I just want to go home."

Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her into a tight embrace. He spoke softly against her ear, "We'll get there, Quinn, I swear," leaning back slightly, he wiped her cheeks with his thumbs, "I love you and I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Quinn relaxed slightly under his hands, her breathing returning to normal. Hoping to distract her further, Sam kissed her softly. Quinn's hands wrapped around his wrists as she leaned into him, reciprocating the kiss; grateful for his support.

Canting back, Quinn chuckled wryly, smiling for the first time all day. Wiping her eyes, she glanced to their left, finding the same man from this morning just a few feet away.

Sam watched Quinn's face drain of blood, her entire body strum with fright. Following her gaze, he turned, but met only darkness.

* * *

"Have you guys seen Quinn and Sam?"

Finn and Mike shook their heads before continuing their conversation.

Rachel saw Quinn leave the caves earlier, but Sam quickly followed her, so she continued to help pack what was left in the caves. Mr. Schuester and Ms. Pillsbury decided that at least for tonight, they would all sleep on the beach, citing safety with numbers.

Finally arriving at the beach, Rachel couldn't find Quinn or Sam anywhere, nor had anyone seen them. She felt her heart rate pick up as her imagination ran wild with the possibilities.

"What's up?" Puck appeared by her side, startling her.

"Quinn and Sam haven't come back."

Puck shrugged, "Maybe they went back to the caves," Rachel nodded, still unconvinced, "Listen, I'm glad you're here—"

Rachel abruptly cut him off, "—I think something happened, Noah."

* * *

An hour later, with Rachel and Puck's prodding, the glee club searched the caves and beach, finding no sign of the couple.

"They wouldn't just go off by themselves; not today."

Will nodded, "I agree. We need to start searching before it gets dark."

After a short debate, Sue and Will agreed to lead two groups into the jungle, while Emma and Coach Bieste split the remaining students between the caves and the beach. Each teacher took a flare, agreeing to send out a signal once the two were found.

Rachel laced the tennis shoes Tina lent her, her face set in grim but determined lines. "What are you doing?"

Glancing up, Rachel easily replied, "I'm going with."

Puck snorted humorlessly, "No, you're not."

Standing, Rachel replied calmly, "Yes, I am. She's my friend too."

Puck took a step forward, crowding Rachel. As always, she stood her ground, staring up at him with those trusting brown eyes.

"We don't even know what's out there."

Rachel shrugged, "That's why I'm going with you."

And that was the problem. He wasn't that guy. There was no reason for Rachel to assume he'd always be there for her. Except, of course, that he always was. As much as he hated to admit it, there was next to nothing Rachel could ask of him that he would refuse.

Giving him a small smile, she started to walk past him to join their search party. Grabbing her elbow, Puck cantered to the right, drawing Rachel's small body up and into his. Tilting his head, he pressed his lips to hers, smirking at her surprise.

Rachel liked things neat and orderly, smooth lines and carefully executed plans. He knew he didn't fit into her lists or fantasies, but maybe that was the point. Life wasn't a serious of checklists and deadlines. They both sure as hell didn't plan on crashing on this nightmare island. And he sure as hell didn't plan on falling for the craziest chick he knew. But he had and they were and it was time to start making the most of right now.

As Puck pulled away, Rachel kept her eyes closed, still stunned. And as with every major event in her life, a melody began to play in her head.

_Maybe I'm amazed at the way you're with me all the time  
Maybe I'm afraid of the way I leave you  
Maybe I'm amazed at the way you help me sing my song  
Right me when I'm wrong  
Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you_

Unexpectedly, Rachel couldn't find the right words. She stared up at Noah's expectant expression and wondered how something could feel safe and risky all at once.

_Maybe I'm a girl, maybe I'm a lonely girl  
Who's in the middle of something  
That she doesn't really understand  
Maybe I'm a girl and maybe you're the only man  
Who could ever help me  
Baby won't you help me understand_

Rachel felt the words rush out of her, "I can't promise anything."

Noah smiled, "Me neither."

Momentarily taken aback, Rachel couldn't help but like the sound of that. Perhaps that's why she always returned to Noah. He never held any expectations; never asked her to be anyone but herself.

Twining her hands behind his neck, she asked coyly, "So we're…"

"Whatever you want us to be."

Lifting herself up on her toes, Rachel stole another kiss, happiness quickly replacing the cold fear in her chest.

* * *

They'd been searching for nearly two hours, finding nothing.

Rachel barely glanced to her left when she saw it. It was just a flash of color in the bleak green and brown jungle but it was enough to make her stop.

"What's wrong?"

Rachel set off in the direction of her find, Puck and Santana yelling and running after her. She stopped abruptly, her hand flying to her mouth, her stomach churning at the sight.

Sam lay lifeless on the ground, his pale skin bruised and bloody, his clothing in tatters.

Sprinting a few feet away, Rachel emptied the meager contents of her stomach. Reaching the group, Coach Sylvester pushed past the still shell-shocked Puck and Santana, feeling for a pulse on the battered boy.

"He's alive."

Santana burst into tears, before Brittany turned her away, stroking her hair.

"Mohawk! Hey, Mohawk Boy!" Puck, still dazed, finally looked away from Sam's limp body, "Go find a clearing and fire up that flare!"

* * *

Two hours later, Sam woke with a start.

His heart beating wildly in his chest, he cried out at the pain running through his body.

"Sam, it's ok. You're ok. You're safe now," Emma tried to placate the alarmed boy.

Breathing through the pain, he noted the sand beneath him and the heat from the fire beside him. Bringing a hand to his face, he asked hoarsely, "Where is she?"

Emma met Will's gaze for a moment, before placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We haven't found her yet, Sam."

Breathing hard, a fit of coughs racked Sam's body. Doubled over, tears streamed down his face as Will and Emma attempted to calm him.

Rachel's small hand slipped into Puck's. He squeezed it tightly, swallowing hard as they helplessly watched their friend struggle.


	7. Day 21

**Day 21**

Exhausted, Rachel sighed heavily. It was dusk on day two of their search for Quinn.

Tilting her head, she pouted at Noah.

He shook his head, continuing to walk ahead, "Don't."

Catching up to him, she wrapped her hands around his arm, "I'm so tired!"

"And I'm not?"

She sighed, her hand sliding into his, his fingers tightly grasping hers.

"You think Sam is going to be ok?"

Puck shrugged.

Thinking of Sam, she scrunched her face, "He just sits there, staring at that fire with this look in his eyes," she shuddered, before peering up expectantly as Puck stopped suddenly.

"You get it right?"

"Get what?"

"Sam's actually keeping it together. If that was you out there, our whole camp would be torn apart."

Before she could stop herself; her lips turned up in a small smile. Recently, any moments of happiness seemed wrong. Yet despite their circumstances, she was pleasantly surprised by how easily she and Puck found a rhythm all their own. Even more amazing, Puck seemed to genuinely care for her, exactly as she was. She never worried about being enough, because he always made sure she knew she was.

Puck shook his head, whispering, "You're gonna be the death of me," before tracing a hand down her cheek, his lips covering hers softly.

"Guys!"

Separating, Rachel rolled her eyes, skipping towards the direction of Santana's voice. While clearly with Brittany, Santana discouraged any horseplay on their hikes, attacking their search grids with a dogged determination rivaling Coach Sylvester.

Arriving at the clearing, Rachel's stomach dropped at the scene.

Quinn stood tentatively in the grass, her eyes wide and glassy. Dressed in a white sundress streaked with mud and tears, her bare arms and legs were covered with scratches and swelling bruises.

Santana and Brittany stood a few feet away, staring at her, alarm etched on their faces. Rachel took a step forward before both cheerleaders held out their hands.

"Don't! She won't let you touch her!"

Puck arrived at the clearing behind Rachel, muttering, "Fuck me."

"We need Coach Sylvester."

Puck nodded absently, running back to the spot their teacher designated as their home base an hour ago.

* * *

Sam stared out at the water, barely feeling the tide hit his feet.

Two days.

Quinn was still missing, and he was useless.

He couldn't protect her when he was with her, and now he couldn't remember anything about their abduction.

He couldn't even help look for her. The jackass broke his ankle. Coach Bieste fashioned a splint around it, but it still hurt like hell and Quinn was still missing. And he was here, sitting on the beach, while his friends looked for the one girl he loved.

He heard the noise behind him, but didn't bother turning around. It was nearly dark, and he couldn't take everyone's disappointed faces and the hollow words of 'we'll try again tomorrow'.

"Sam! Sam!"

Sighing, he turned, despondent and frustrated.

Then he saw her; and his heart nearly stopped in his chest.

Hoisting himself up, he limped as fast as he could in the sand. His friends formed a circle around Quinn, talking over each other.

Arriving at the group, he pushed past Mike, hobbling towards her. Immediately, she took a step back, her hands coming up in front of her, her eyes filling with tears.

Sam glanced at Puck and Rachel, who shrugged helpless. "She's been like that since we found her. She won't talk. She—" Rachel trailed off her thought, her voice breaking. Puck ran a hand up her back, sliding it through her hair as she turned into him.

"Quinn, it's me," Sam took a half-step forward, favoring his good leg. Quinn didn't back away, but still wouldn't meet his gaze. Instead, she kept scanning the beach like a deer caught in headlights.

"Ok, everybody!" Emma clapped, her voice soft, "Why don't we give her some room?"

Will and Sue herded the students reluctantly back towards the campsite.

Sam glanced at Ms. Pillsbury, unsure of how to proceed. She nodded quickly at him, gesturing towards Quinn.

Taking a deep breath, Sam began again, "I know you're scared. I am too, but you can do this. You're the strongest person I know, and you're going to get through this too. And I'm going to be there for whatever you need." He took another half-step towards the frightened girl. Holding out his hand, he swore, "You're safe."

She finally met his eyes and Sam couldn't help but smirk. Beneath her unshed tears, Quinn stared at him with the same steely determination that he fell in love with back in Ohio.

Letting out the breath she was holding, Quinn stepped towards him. She didn't take his hand, but walked beside his slow pace towards their campsite, her arms held close to her chest.

* * *

Emma watched the McKinley High students gathered around the fire on the beach.

Everyone continued to attempt to engage Quinn, but to no avail. Twenty four hours later, she still refused to speak a syllable, barely acknowledging anyone's presence.

Emma realized there was more going on beneath the surface. Though Quinn was careful to create a physical distance between herself and everyone around her, she was equally vigilant to stay within arm's length of those she trusted most, mainly Mercedes, Sam, and Will.

Will spoke from beside Emma, startling her, "I'm happy we're all back together."

"She still won't speak."

"That's normal though, right? I mean, she went through a horrible experience."

Emma nodded, still staring at Quinn, "Yes. And no. She did go through a traumatic experience, but she needs to talk, Will. I'm really worried that if she doesn't, she'll just fall deeper inside herself. She needs to know that she's safe and we're all here for her."

Will smiled confidently, "That sounds like a glee specialty."

* * *

Standing on the opposite side of the fire with the rest of the glee club, Mercedes spoke softly, "Quinn, we know you're hurting and you're scared, and you have every right to be. We just want you to know, we're all here for you."

Sam glanced beside him, and if possible, Quinn became more still at Mercedes' words.

Kurt stepped forward, singing,

_Life can show no mercy  
It can tear your soul apart_

Standing beside him, Rachel grasped his hand tightly,

_It can make you feel like you've gone crazy but you're not_

_Things have seemed to change  
There's one thing that's still the same_

Mercedes and Santana belted,

_In my heart you have remained_

_And we can fly fly fly away_

The group harmonized together,

_'Cause you are not alone  
I'm always there with you_

Sam's eyebrows raised as Quinn began to slowly rock back and forth to the beat, humming beneath her breath, her eyes still on the sand beneath her toes,

_And we'll get lost together  
Until the light comes pouring through  
It's when you feel like you're done  
And the darkness has won_

Softly, Quinn whispered the lyrics,

_Babe, you're not lost  
When your world's crashing down  
And you cannot bear the cross_

Now singing audibly, Quinn sat up, meeting Mercedes eyes, smiling through her tears,

_I said, babe, you're not lost  
_Rachel and Santana wiped away tears, exchanging a hug, as Brittany and Artie clapped and cheered for Quinn.

Laughing, Quinn reciprocated a fist pump from Mercedes, whispering, "Thank you."

Tears slipped from Emma's eyes as she watched her students. Will smoothed a hand over her back, pulling her into him to place a kiss on her head.

Emma turned towards Will, watching him chuckle with happiness at the turn of events. Placing a small hand on his cheek, she turned his head towards her, and taking courage from her students, she leaned in, pressing her lips to his.

Wasting no time, Will immediately responded, threading a hand through her hair, holding her to him.

Pulling apart, Will grinned, unable to remember the last time he felt so light and hopeful.

Emma mirrored his happy expression, whispering, "We're going to be ok."


	8. Day 23

**Day 23**

"Quinn, I know you're still recovering, but do you remember anything from when you were gone?"

Quinn tensed, ducking her head, before replying quietly, "No."

Will and Emma exchanged glances as silence settled over their small group.

Swallowing hard, Quinn slid her hand over Sam's. She felt him turn towards her in surprise, but refused to meet his gaze.

Since her return, she kept her distance physically from everyone, including Sam. And as always, he let her set the pace.

She wasn't used to that kind of freedom. Growing up, she became an expert at living up to everyone else's expectations. But from the very beginning, Sam was different. He only wanted her. And as much as she shook her head at his lame jokes and nerd references, it was those very things that allowed her to let her own guard down time and time again.

Slowly, Sam grasped her hand tightly in his and she felt a tightness in her chest release.

"Anything at all, Quinn—"

Sam interrupted, meeting Mr. Schuester's gaze, "She said she doesn't remember."

Emma cleared her throat, interrupting their stand-off, "Quinn, how are you feeling?"

How was she feeling? That was the million dollar question.

Alone. Mostly, she felt alone. Even constantly surrounded by all of her friends, she still felt a loneliness that threatened to creep into her bones.

Not that it mattered. Island or no island, she was still Quinn Fabray, head cheerleader. No one knew better than her how to hide the pain and insecurity.

Plastering on a smile, she shrugged, replying, "Fine. I'm fine."

* * *

Dunking another shirt under the water, Puck began to whistle.

Recognizing the tune, Rachel smiled, singing sweetly,

_Good Day Sunshine, Good Day Sunshine, Good Day Sunshine_

Artie continued,

_I need to laugh and when the sun is out_

_I've got something I can laugh about_

Puck took up the song,

_I feel good in a special way _

_I'm in love and it's a sunny day_

Rachel repeated the chorus,

_Good Day Sunshine, Good Day Sunshine, Good Day Sunshine_

Puck sang happily,

_Then we'd lie beneath the shady tree_

_I love her and she's loving me_

_She feels good, she know she's looking fine_

_I'm so proud to know that she is mine_

Brittany and Finn joined the chorus,

_Good Day Sunshine, Good Day Sunshine, Good Day Sunshine_

Everyone laughed, happy for their short escape from the beach, even if it did include washing clothes in the lake.

Suddenly Brittany gasped, her mouth falling open. Everyone followed her gaze, finding a man they'd never seen before standing on the rock cliff.

"Is that…?" Rachel squeaked out.

Puck dropped his clothes, easily side stepping in front of Rachel, his hand finding hers.

The man spoke calmly, his voice carrying over the water, "Quinn Fabray belongs to me."

Finn yelled back, "She's not yours."

The man stared at Finn, "I'm not the only one out here, living in this jungle. You and your friends have already lost the battle. Give me Quinn and no one else gets hurt."

* * *

Back at the beach, Finn recanted their encounter to the rest of the castaways.

Hushed whispers spread like wildfire through the group, as Tina asked, "Is it true? Are there more people out there?"

Will turned to Quinn, his tone exasperated, "Can you at least tell us if you remember seeing more than one person?"

Quinn rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to retort, when Sam stepped between her and Will, "What's your problem? She said she doesn't remember."

"This doesn't just involve her anymore! If she knows something, we need—"

"She doesn't!"

Emma stepped between the two men, placing a hand on their chest, pushing. "Alright, we've made our point."

Sue spoke firmly, "From now on, we only go in the jungle in groups."

* * *

"Man, that is so good."

Quinn glanced over at Sam suspiciously. "What are you talking about?"

Sam showed her the bowl in his hands, explaining, "This chocolate ice cream. I'll bet, it's the best you've ever had."

Placing her hands on her hips, Quinn's lips threatened to turn up in a smirk, "It's empty."

Sam shook his head, his expression serious, "Are you kidding? It's filled to the brim with chocolate frozen yogurt. There's even sprinkles and caramel."

Quinn rolled her eyes, chuckling, "You remember my ice cream order?"

Sam nodded, the satisfaction showing in his smile, "C'mon, you gotta at least try it."

Glancing behind her, Quinn reluctantly took the empty bowl. Laughing at herself, she imitated bringing a pretend spoon to her mouth.  
"See, what did I tell you?"

Laughing, she licked her lips.

Glancing back up at Sam, her stomach dropped at his intense gaze. Taking a step closer, he leaned towards her, his hands traveling towards her waist.

Placing a hand on his chest, Quinn took a step back, her eyes filling with tears.

Sam dropped his head, his voice full of remorse, "I'm sorry, Quinn."

She shook her head, "I just—," her voice broke. Swallowing roughly, she stood straighter, before continuing, "I can't."

"I shouldn't have tried that. I meant what I said, Quinn, as long as it takes, I'll be here."

For once, she wanted to believe in happy endings and true love. For once, she didn't want worry about her reputation or social status. For once, all she wanted was to believe in something more.

* * *

Quinn stood alone in the middle of the brush.

She wasn't alone, she had to remember that.

Santana, Sue, Mr. Schue, Finn, Puck, and Sam all lay undercover within shouting distance.

It was Santana's idea. Sam vetoed the plan, but Quinn quickly overruled him. She wanted it to be over. She was tired of being scared all the time. She was tired of everyone's sideways glances. She needed it to all be over.

Now standing in the middle of the jungle, waiting for the same man who took her, she wondered if it ever would.

"There you are."

His voice made her hair stand on end. Turning slowly, she found him shadowed behind a tree.

"You didn't give me much of a choice."

The man chuckled, "Neither did you. Pulling that prank; running from me. Did you really think you'd get away with it?"

Quinn swallowed her retort, letting him step closer towards her.

"They can't love you like I can."

"You're crazy."

The man walked into the brush. Quinn watched his eyes go wide with realization before his feet flew in the air. He hung upside-down from a tree, ropes tied around his ankles.

Puck and Finn yelled out in victory as they all came out from the surrounding area. Santana looked particularly satisfied, checking the ropes on the trap.

As the man twirled on the end of the rope, he reached into his jacket, pulling out a large knife. Within seconds, he cut the rope, falling to the ground.

Suddenly, Quinn ran forward, catching the man by surprise and tackling him back to the ground. The two tousled on the jungle floor as Sam, Finn, and Will sprinted towards them to intervene.

Quinn stood unsteadily and Sam felt his heart race at the sight of the blood covering her t-shirt. Touching her stomach, he shouted, "I don't know where the blood's coming from!"

"It's not her blood."

The man lay on the ground, gasping, bleeding from the knife that pierced his stomach. They watched him take his dying breath, before all eyes returned to Quinn, standing pale and frightened.


	9. Day 25

Day 25

Her hand firmly in his, Rachel whined at Noah's back, "How much farther?"

"We're almost there!"

Despite her complaining, Rachel smiled at the excitement in his voice.

Twenty minutes ago, he grabbed her hand, leading her away from the beach, mischief and brightness lighting his eyes. Rachel followed, giggling, reveling in the butterflies in her stomach.

After Quinn's disappearance, Rachel realized the value and vulnerability in all her friendships. Since the crash, their small glee club had only grown closer, and Rachel couldn't be more grateful. And this was no truer than with Noah.

She grew so accustomed to his presence in her life, she overlooked him. Watching Sam and Quinn fight their way back from near death, she vowed to never again disregard the people who stood by her.

Noah stopped abruptly, turning towards her and breaking her reverie.

Settling his hands on her shoulders, he stared at her, "Ready?"

Rachel squinted up at him, suddenly hesitant. Since their crash landing, surprises lost their polish.

Moving a tree branch, Noah led her into an overgrown cove. A small waterfall ran into a clear, blue lagoon. A makeshift picnic lay on top of the gray rock ledge lining the embankment.

Placing his hands on her waist, he asked quietly, "Do you like it?"

Rachel turned, staring at him through the mist gathering in her eyes, "You did all this for me?"

Noah shrugged, glancing away, "It's easy when it's for you."

Rolling on to her toes, Rachel clutched his shoulders, easily meeting his lips. Never again would she question her choices. This man, this moment, this was real.

* * *

Quinn sighed as Coach Sylvester and Santana droned on about the importance of building a raft, the collective group's most recent plan for rescue.

Glancing to her right, she watched Sam. He listened to the women intently, a somber expression fixed on his features. Lately, he wore that expression often.

Secretly, Quinn worried she caused his crooked grin to disappear. She wondered, in the end, without even trying, if she screwed this up too.

Since that night in the jungle, everyone held her at arm's length. She understood; she would have done the same. She killed a man.

She thought it would be over. With him gone, she thought she could leave it behind her. But, like everything else in her life, it didn't turn out the way she pictured.

Sam never questioned her, in fact, they never spoke of it. At first, she was grateful. He helped her field questions from Ms. Pillsbury; ended any gossip running through their small group.

But now, Quinn began to see that not talking about it may be just as damaging. And she wasn't ready to let go of Sam.

Gathering her courage, Quinn asked quietly, "You want to go for a walk?"

Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise before he nodded.

They waited for a break in Santana's speech, before they walked side-by-side into the jungle.

* * *

Sam looked around, clearly confused. "What is this place?"

Quinn let out her breath she'd been holding. "This is where he took me."

Sam's eyes shot to her, his body stilling.

"I lied. I remember everything. I don't want to talk about it: it's over. I just—I wanted—" Quinn stopped, unsure of how to express what she felt. "When he found us in the jungle, you fought back. I don't know if you remember, but I—I thought you were dead. He wouldn't stop hitting you, and—"

Sam stared at her, his expression unreadable.

"I don't want to do this alone."

Sam crossed the clearing, his voice soft and sincere, "I'm still here."

Quinn nodded, swallowing back a dry sob. Sam whispered an apology under his breath, wrapping his arms around her. Quinn relaxed into his embrace, crying into his t-shirt, gripping his sides.

* * *

Noah grabbed the guitar, a smirk gracing his face, "So, I got a song," Rachel sat on her heels, clapping in delight, "Thought maybe you'd sing it with me, like old times?"

Rachel nodded quick and fast, the butterflies returning full force.

Noah began strumming a recognizable tune, singing softly,

_Don't go changing to try and please me  
You never let me down before  
I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble  
We never could have come this far _

It was perfect, just like the day. Rachel began to sing along,

_I took the good times, I'll take the bad times  
I'll take you just the way you are_

Don't go trying some new fashion  
Don't change the color of your hair

_You always have my unspoken passion  
Although I might not seem to care _

Together, they sang, soft and slow,

_I said I love you and that's forever  
And this I promise from the heart  
I could not love you any better  
I love you just the way you are._

With a wide grin, Rachel tackled Noah to the ground, kissing him around her giggles.

Leaning back, Noah caressed her cheek with his thumb, "I love you. You know that, right?"

Speechless, she nodded, wondering how she got so lucky.

* * *

"Look at all this stuff. How long do you think he was here?"

Quinn shook her head, her arms tightly wound herself. "I don't know. He didn't say much. At least not anything that made any sense."

Sam glanced over at her, "If you want to go—"

Quinn shook her head, determined to put this behind her.

Sam nodded, continuing to rummage through the man's things.

"Holy shit," Sam stood with a black box in his hands, "It's a radio, Quinn."


	10. Day 243

Day 243 (Seven months later)

_Well open up your mind and see like me  
Open up your plans and damn you're free  
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love  
Listen to the music of the moment baby sing with me_

"Let's give them a big welcome, ladies and gentlemen….Mr. and Mrs. Schuester!"

A roar of yells and claps filled the tent as Emma and Will ran in decked in smiles and flip-flops. Despite Kurt's protests, Emma would hear of nothing but a beach-themed wedding, set straight in the heart of Ohio.

As the happy couple took their seats, Finn stood hesitantly, walking to the center of the dance floor with a microphone.

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Finn Hudson and I'm one of Mr. Schuester's students. I'm also one of the survivors from Flight 439." A quiet settled over the small tent as Will pulled his arm  
tighter around Emma. "The media nicknamed us the Miracle Kids. I think we all agree it took a lot of grace and faith to make it here tonight." Santana glanced at Brittany, smiling as the blonde linked her arm through hers, resting her head on her shoulder. "In glee club, Mr. Schue teaches us about teamwork and acceptance. I don't think any of us really understood it until we landed on that island. We became a family, which is what we wanted all along. So, Mr. and Mrs. Schuester, this song's for you. I know we don't always say it, but what you do for all us means everything."

* * *

_So I won't hesitate no more, no more  
It cannot wait I'm sure  
There's no need to complicate  
Our time is short  
This is our fate, I'm yours  
_

Rachel watched her teachers softly sway on the dance floor, their faces bright and peaceful. She smiled, pulling away to remark on how far they all had come. With a loose grip on her waist, Noah stared at the floor, his shoulders tense.

Gliding a hand down his jacket, she asked quietly, "What's wrong?"

He jolted, shaking his head, "Nothing."

Her gaze dropped, "You've been quiet all night."

"What do you want from me, Rachel? We all can't talk as much as you."

Her jaw tightened. She met his eyes, but said nothing. Seven months with him and she knew by now when he was trying to pick a fight.

He sighed heavily against her shoulder as they continued dancing slowly. Rachel watched the happy couples around them, wishing for tonight they could be the same.

"You look pretty."

Her eyes shot to his. "Thank you."

"I know I'm being an ass. I just sometimes think you'd be better with Finn."

"What?" Rachel asked incredulous, "How can you say that?"

He shrugged, "You always wanted him. I came later. Maybe we're only together because of what happened on that island."

She shook her head, smiling at him, "Don't you see? That's why it's better. We made it through the hardest part together." Her eyes furrowed, pleading, "That's why this is real. I only want to be with you."

Noah lowered his head, whispering sincerely, "I love you."

* * *

_I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted  
I fell right through the cracks  
Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention  
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some  
I won't hesitate no more, no more  
It cannot wait, I'm yours  
_

Music filled the tent, couples meandering to the dance floor. With a smile, Quinn watched Emma push a piece of wedding cake into Will's face, both laughing blissfully.

A drink appeared before her as Sam pressed his lips to her hair, taking the chair beside her.

Hesitantly, she turned towards him, pushing a small black box across the table. Sam took it, quirking his brow inquisitively. Opening it, his face fell with surprise.

"I know you hated selling it after your Dad lost his job."

Sam stared at the watch in his hands. "You found it?"

Quinn nodded, taking a measured breath. She practiced this speech a hundred times in her head, but it still took all her courage to give it.

"That watch symbolizes my promise to you to be true; to never pressure you; to listen to your problems; to tell you when you need to cut your hair; to come over to your house whenever your sister needs someone to play with. I promise to make you feel proud when you point across the room and say "That's my girlfriend." I promise to do all of those things and still go to color me mine." He smirked, staring at her incredulously, "I love you, Sam. And I don't care if we're the stars of McKinley High or not." She swallowed, feeling her heart beat in her ears, "I know the last year hasn't been easy."

"But we made it."

She nodded, keeping his gaze, "Because of you."

He shook his head, leaning forward and pressing his forehead to hers, "You saved us. None of us would even be here if you hadn't found that radio." Ducking his head, he kissed her soundly, whispering against her lips, "I'm gonna marry you someday, Quinn Fabray."


End file.
